Join a press briefing: Does Poland need a visit of the president of Azerbaijan - the worst European regime?

Connected to the upcoming visit of Azerbaijan's president Ilham Aliyev to Warsaw, Amnesty International Polska, Helsińskiej Fundacji Praw Człowieka, Polskiej Zielonej Sieci, and Bankwatch invite to this press briefing.

It will take place on June 21, in the office of Helsińska Fundacja Praw Człowieka, ul. Zgoda 11 in Warsaw (6 floor).

Speakers:

• Draginja Nadażdin, Head of Amnesty International Polska – restrictions for free media, situation of political prisoners, reppressions towards human rights defenders in Azerbaijan
• Emin Huseynov, the Head of Azeri Institute for Reporters Freedom and Safety (irfs.org) – the current situation in Azerbaijan, the role of the oil and gas export in strengthening the Azeri regime (via internet)
• Anna Roggenbuck, CEE Bankwatch Network expert – behind the scenes of Southern Gas Corridor - flagship investment for strengthening Azeri regime, Turkey and Russia interests in Corridor

Moderator: Katarzyna Wencel, Helsińska Fundacja Praw Człowieka

On 27th-28th June Poland will host the president of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev. The visit includes meetings with the President of the Republic of Poland, Marshals of the Sejm and the Senate, the Prime Minister and the business forum. This visit is an opportunity to reflect on how illusory economic benefits are more important than the promotion of Poland, a country with a longstanding tradition of fighting the communist regime, democratic values and respect for human rights.

According to the Freedom House, which is monitoring the political freedoms and the level of democracy in the world in 2017, Azerbaijan is a state deprived of liberty (14/100 points). For comparison, Belarus in this ranking scored 20 points. Meanwhile, Azerbaijan, as opposed to Belarus, is a member of the Council of Europe, an international organization set up to protect democracy and human rights. The reality in Azerbaijan shows that the authorities do not respect the obligations of membership of the Council of Europe. The repression of freedom of speech, the persecution of human rights defenders and journalists have become commonplace in this country. As a result of the wave of repression in Azerbaijan, which began in 2014, independent and critical media have ceased to function, f.i. Radio Free Europe has been closed. Civil society, due to the restrictive law of association, has practically ceased to exist. Despite a temporary thaw in the spring of last year when the leading human rights activists were released from prison, the situation has not changed significantly. Most of the released activists have a ban on leaving the country and some are subjected to further repression. According to the estimates of the few local human rights defenders in the country, there are currently over 100 political prisoners, among others. Opposition activist Ilgar Mammadov, journalist and human rights defender Mehman Huseynov, and NIDA Azeri civic activists Giyas Ibrahimov and Bayram Mammadov.

The oppressive regime is strengthening for money from the extraction of oil and natural gas. Europe wants to import Azerbaijani gas through the planned Southern Gas Corridor, arguing that it will allow diversification of gas imports. Thus, Europe supports the Azerbaijani regime without asking about human rights or the principles of democracy. In addition, as will be demonstrated by the organizers of the briefing, the Southern Gas Corridor, in spite of its assumptions, could seal Russia's dominance in the European gas market. This is another example, after the Nord Stream 2, of an unnecessary and even harmful gas pipeline, of negligible importance for the security of the supply of raw materials to the Union. During a June visit to Poland, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev will undoubtedly raise the issue of financial involvement of European financial institutions in the construction of the South Gas Corridor.

What benefit does Poland have from the visit of the Head of State of the most repressive regime in the region? Should we host dictators in Poland, ignoring the fact that their apparatus is breaking the laws of individuals? Can the Polish authorities meet with the President of Azerbaijan, in addition to economic issues, to raise the question of the protection of democratic values and human rights?

Contact:

Katarzyna Wencel, katarzyna.wencel@hfhr.org.pl, tel. 691 260 256 lub

Julia Cheromukchina, iuliia.cheromukchina@hfhr.org.pl, tel. 508 286 697

Aleksandra Antonowicz-Cyglicka, ola@globalnepoludnie.pl, tel. 601 325 242